Dell 16 Premium CPU Outperforms XPS 16 9640 by 15-20%

Key Takeaways

1. The Dell 16 Premium has launched globally, replacing the XPS 16 9640 with new Arrow Lake-H and Blackwell options.
2. Users can expect a performance boost of up to 20% in multi-thread tasks with the Core Ultra 7 255H compared to the older model.
3. Performance gains are short-lived, with scores declining from 3410 to around 2900 points during continuous testing.
4. The XPS 16 9640 shows more stable performance over time, making it seem like a better value for users.
5. The 2024 model offers minor improvements, and significant advancements are not expected in the upcoming 2025 version.

The Dell 16 Premium has started shipping globally, marking a new chapter after the XPS 16 9640 from last year. This new model swaps out the Meteor Lake-H and Ada Lovelace options for the Arrow Lake-H and Blackwell alternatives in its 2024 version. Users who opt for the Core Ultra 7 255H can anticipate a performance boost of up to 20 percent in multi-thread tasks compared to the older XPS 16 9640 Core Ultra 7 155H.

Performance Insights

However, there’s a catch: the 20 percent increase is only noticeable during the initial few minutes. Our tests display a decline in performance scores, dropping from 3410 points to around 2900 points over time when running CineBench R15 xT in a continuous loop on the Dell 16 Premium with the Core Ultra 7 255H. In contrast, the XPS 16 9640 maintains a more stable performance over time. As throttling kicks in, the gap in CPU performance between the Dell 16 Premium and the XPS 16 9640 narrows significantly.

User Experience

Most users probably won’t even pick up on the small performance changes between these two laptops, making the older XPS 16 9640 appear as a better value. Still, this situation highlights the relatively tiny improvements and distinctions between the 2024 and 2025 models. The 2024 XPS 16 already represented a significant leap over its 2023 counterpart, so users shouldn’t have high hopes for groundbreaking enhancements in the 2025 model. For additional benchmarks and comparisons, you can check out our detailed review of the 2025 version here.